1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and improved support system for an inverted toothpaste tube and, more particularly, pertains to insuring ready dispensing of toothpaste from a supported toothpaste tube.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of toothpaste tubes and related devices of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, toothpaste tubes and related devices of known designs and configurations heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of insuring the proper dispensing of contents from a container through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The prior art discloses a large number of toothpaste tubes and related devices of known designs and configurations. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,904 to Hackley, issued Aug. 18, 1998 discloses a holder for inverted bottles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,753 to Takei, issued Sep. 9, 1997 discloses a bottle or container holder for holding the bottle or container in an inverted position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,127 to Burrows, issued Nov. 7, 1995 discloses a sealed actuator probe assembly for a bottled water station. U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,028 to Lorenzana et al., issued Apr. 23, 1991 discloses an apparatus for supplying water continuously to tree stand. U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,401 to McConnell, issued Mar. 20, 1990 discloses a bottle washing/storage/organizing/dispensing fixture system. U.S. Pat. No. 2,091,518 to Murphy, issued Aug. 31, 1937 discloses a dispenser for liquids. U.S. Pat. No. 2,878,920 to Rayman, issued Mar. 24, 1959 discloses a universal bottle pocket. U.S. Pat. No. 1,618,821 to Gruetter, issued Feb. 22, 1927 discloses a bottle holder. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 139,915 to Piper, issued Jun. 17, 1873 discloses a cooler for wine.
In this respect, the support system for an inverted toothpaste tube according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of insuring ready dispensing of toothpaste from a supported toothpaste tube.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved support system for an inverted toothpaste tube which can be used for insuring ready dispensing of toothpaste from a supported toothpaste tube. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of toothpaste tubes and related devices of known designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new and improved support system for an inverted toothpaste tube. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved support system for an inverted toothpaste tube and methods which have all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a support system for an inverted toothpaste tube to insure ready dispensing of toothpaste from therewithin comprising, in combination, a toothpaste tube having an elongated body portion formed of a deformable material with toothpaste therein for being dispensed, the body portion having a closed bottom end and an open top end, the top end including a relatively rigid neck with exterior male screw threads and an interior cylindrical bore for the passage of toothpaste from the container to exterior thereof, the toothpaste tube also having a shoulder in a generally frusto-conical orientation coupling the lower end of the body portion by its radially exterior edge and the neck at its radially interior edge; a cap formed of a relatively rigid plastic material having a frusto-conical exterior surface with a closed lower end and an open upper end and with a cylindrical recess formed with interior female screw threads therein for removably coupling with the neck of the tube; and a housing formed of a one piece plastic construction, fabricated of a rigid material selected from the class of rigid materials including plastic, ceramic and metal, preferably plastic, the housing having a flat circular lower end with a diameter of about 2.062 inches for being positioned securely on a counter and a circular upper end with a diameter of about 1.725 inches and with a frusto-conical exterior surface therebetween and with a central bore therethrough, the bore having a vertical central axis with the exterior surface at an angle of between about 5 and 10 degrees from the vertical axis of the bore, the central bore having a cylindrical lower part of a reduced diameter of about 0.75 inches and a length of about 0.875 inches for receiving the toothpaste cap and with the central bore having a cylindrical upper portion of an enlarged diameter of about 1.425 inches and a length of about 1.125 inches to receive a lower portion of the tube and with the bore having a frusto-conical intermediate section of a length of about 0.150 inches between the upper and lower portions for receiving and supporting the shoulder.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved support system for an inverted toothpaste tube which has all the advantages of the prior art toothpaste tubes and related devices of known designs and configurations and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved support system for an inverted toothpaste tube which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved support system for an inverted toothpaste tube which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved support system for an inverted toothpaste tube which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a support system for an inverted toothpaste tube economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to insure the ready dispensing of toothpaste from a supported toothpaste tube.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a support system for an inverted toothpaste tube comprising a housing formed of a one piece plastic construction, fabricated of a rigid material selected from the class of rigid materials including plastic, ceramic and metal, preferably plastic, the housing having a flat circular lower end for being positioned securely on a counter and a circular upper end and with a frusto-conical exterior surface therebetween and with a central bore therethrough, the bore having a vertical central axis with the exterior surface at an angle from the vertical axis of the bore, the central bore having a cylindrical lower part of a reduced diameter and a length for receiving the toothpaste cap and with the central bore having a cylindrical upper portion of an enlarged diameter and a length to receive a lower portion of the tube and with the bore having a frusto-conical intermediate section between the upper and lower portions for receiving and supporting the shoulder.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.